Don't Leave without a Goodbye
by Pretenders
Summary: Lucy and Linus are leaving for good before Valentine's Day! Farewells and goodbyes are said! Lucy and Schroeder/Sally and Linus.


**Scanned and read twice! 12.26.19**

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**Don't Leave without a Goodbye**

If Linus' head were to be underground, he'd still feel the cold and see the dark as he currently did. Lucy and Linus had announced to their neighborhood that they were moving, truly never coming back. Linus was struck at the fact his childhood friends would remain memories. He'd never get to graduate alongside his friends or see them become like his parents, having families of their own.

Lucy, with her hair down and a soft touch of lipstick, greatly welcomed the new that came with moving. There was more to her life than just her childhood. Remaining in the same neighborhood, in the same town, would trouble her growth into a young lady. Moving away meant a new slate, a new start, a free choice to be someone new.

It surprised no one how eager Lucy was to leave. Lucy perhaps was the least changed in the neighborhood as they became teenagers. Her forward personality put her at the top of the social pyramid of adolescence. Everyone strived to please her and she loved herself.

Schroeder watched Linus come out of his home, past the moving truck, and across the street to where he and Charlie Brown stood.

"Mom's just got her pots to pack and Lucy's finishing up her room,"

Charlie Brown could feel the frown of his own breath on his chest, "So today's the day. I was hoping you'd still be here tomorrow, it's Valentine's Day and Sally spent the entire night making your valentine,"

Linus exchanged the pain within him with Charlie Brown, "If I wasn't going away, I'd throw it away. But I think I'm going to cherish this valentine. How about you, Schroeder?"

"Me?"

Charlie Brown donned a small light of wonder on his face, "Lucy gave you her valentine yesterday,"

He remembered with a quick grunt and a tinge of annoyance, "It's like any other valentine she's given me,"

Linus and Charlie Brown let their faces fall once more.

"I'm just here to say bye," Schroeder snugged his fingers deeper into his shorts, "Last time you left I felt bad because I forgot to say goodbye,"

"She's coming this way,"

"Probably to yell at me for not helping mom,"

Lucy's yell was more of a long-distance call. No matter where Linus was, he could pick up that shout anywhere, "I told you to help mom with the pots! Mom made you the man when dad is out so you should be putting the boxes in the truck!"

As Linus turned to walk off, Sally ran out to him, her valentine in hand and her arms wide, "Please don't go, my sweet babboo!"

Linus surely felt a rib crack, and Charlie Brown pried Sally off, "Linus has to help his mom now, Sally,"

"Here, I made this for you. I hope you remember me,"

Linus held her valentine as if it was heavier than the world itself yet as fragile as the shell of an egg, "You know I will, Sally."

Crying herself in Charlie Brown's arm, she nearly washed away in her own tears before she called out her farewell, "You'll always be the cutest thing to me!"

Charlie Brown also said before he took her inside, "Lucy, I wish you all the best,"

"I'm sure the best will happen to me as soon as I'm far away from here,"

They all began to leave, and Schroeder was almost aghast that Lucy paid little mind to his presence.

Annoyingly scrunching his face up, shouting after her, "Guess you don't care if I have something to say!" He started to leave, as well.

"Caring about what you have to say for years only to hear that stupid piano, I didn't expect you to say anything now!"

"Fine! I won't say anything!"

"I'm used to that!"

Leaving wasn't as easy for him as it was for her, "I hope you have a good life without me!"

"Without you!" Now she was stuck in place, her pink lips thinned, her eyes targeting his figure and making her way back to him as if she was a torpedo, "I've already made future plans without you!"

She still hadn't reached him, but she was oncoming like a train, and he was tied to her tracks, "What about me!"

He didn't attempt to untie himself out of her deadly path, "Who's going to listen to me play! Who's going to bother me so much–!"

She'd crashed into him. Or rather, she'd dug her hand into the pocket of his shorts, throwing the misshapen heart onto his chest, "That's why I gave you my number!"

It now lay on the sidewalk, looking ignored as the glue sealed the card closed.

"Maybe if you opened it, you'd know I planned keeping in touch with you!" She gathered the card and pressed it against him, "Living without you is just temporary,"

He held the card from falling once more as she took her hand away. He was lost in that moment, "B-But I thought you were leaving forever this time? So you're coming back?"

"Do you want me to?"

He was more than lost at the question, mumbling words, speaking over words, until she silenced him. Sweetly, she transferred the pink from her lips onto his face.

"Lucy,"

"When you realize I will be your wife someday, I'll come back, Schroeder. But I won't wait to be a middle aged woman to marry you!"

"No! I," he finally found the right words, "I just didn't want you to leave without telling you goodbye. For now,"

She cuddled him into a childish embrace, receiving his childish rejection. But also his childish stutter.

"Bye, for now, my Schroeder!"

Immediately after she disappeared into her home, he frustratingly fought to open the card.

Then Sally Brown frightened him in the act of remembering those numbers like music notes, "Why didn't I think of that! Big brother, quick, get me some more paper, a pencil, scissors!"

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**Inspired by, "Bigcitydreams" by NeverShoutNever!**


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